Most Anticipated Book Releases for May 2026

If April was a soft launch for summer reading season, May is when the cozy, light, romance goodness really picks up the pace. Alas, we don’t have a new Emily Henry novel coming out this year, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of exciting new books to look forward to. May is also when I traditionally take my solo reading retreat, so I’m eyeing this month’s releases for that unput-downable quality I love for vanishing into the woods with a book. And there are plenty of options on that front.

This month’s list has a few new books from some of my personal favorite authors. There’s a new D&D rom-com from Kristy Boyce, plus a new contemporary romance from Katherine Center. But I’m also pulling in a few reads that break the mold from my typical recommendations just a bit, because sometimes, you just need something different. So without further ado, let’s jump into the May most anticipated book releases!

The Miseducation of Caroline Bingley by Lindz McLeod

• Release Date: May 5th
• Price: $18.99 on Amazon
• Publisher: Carina Adores
• ARC Received: No

If there’s one thing I’ll probably never get tired of, it’s clever spins on classic Jane Austen novels. And The Miseducation of Caroline Bingley focuses on two characters we don’t spend a ton of time with in the original Pride and Prejudice. Caroline Bingley, frustrated after Mr. Darcy chooses Elizabeth Bennett, goes to his sister Georgiana for help. Specifically, she needs help learning to seem a bit more… well, perfect, like Georgiana. But as their lessons go on, it turns out it may not be a man that Caroline’s hoping to snare after all.

Rolls & Rivalry by Kristy Boyce

• Release Date: May 5th
• Price: $13.99 on Amazon
• Publisher: Delacore Romance
• ARC Received: Yes

I have read and loved every one of Kristy Boyce’s contemporary YA Dungeons & Dragons romance novels. So, I was pretty stoked to see there’s a new one on the way. In this book, Hazel wants to make the most of senior year by crushing it as captain of the color guard and DMing her first D&D campaign. But her former best friend suddenly returns to town and invades her D&D game, putting an unexpected roadblock in her plans. But is their rivalry ripe to turn into something more?

We Dance Upon Demons by Vaishnavi Patel

• Release Date: May 12th
• Price: $28 on Amazon
• Publisher: Saga Press
• ARC Received: Yes

I’m reading an advance reader copy of this one right now, so I feel pretty confident in saying it’s excellent. This contemporary fantasy follows a young woman who’s burnt out from her work at a local abortion clinic. Feeling powerless to change the world, she suddenly finds herself in possession of mysterious new power. But now the anti-abortion activists at the clinic just might be the least of her worries, as new forces are determined to get some of her power for themselves.

The Shippers by Katherine Center

• Release Date: May 19th
• Price: $30 on Amazon
• Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
• ARC Received: Yes

Katherine Center’s books have been a bit hit or miss for me. But when she delivers, she delivers. So, I’m excited to see a new contemporary romance novel from Center headed our way this month. And it sounds like a good one with the kind of wild premise that just might work. In The Shippers, JoJo Burton decides to use her sister’s cruise ship wedding to finally fix her long history of intimacy issues. To close the chapter on her first crush, she wants to woo him. And who better to play wingman than childhood best friend, Cooper, who shows up to the cruise despite his mysterious disappearance from her life four years ago. I think we can all see where this is going, and as a childhood friends-to-lovers fanatic, I’m here for it.

Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan

• Release Date: May 26th
• Price: $29.00 on Amazon
• Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
• ARC Received: TBD (requested)

I told you May was a great month for my favorite contemporary romance writers. Annabel Monaghan won me over with her debut, and I’ve loved each book since. This May, she’s treating us to yet another contemporary romance in Dolly All The Time. Dolly, who has always been a natural problem solver, moves back to her childhood town of Whitfield to help her dad and brother. Naturally, she finds herself mixed up in a fake dating situation with none other than Stewart of the Whitlfield family. But that deal just might wind up being more than she bargained for, and it could be the one problem she has no idea how to solve.

Looking for more books to add to your never-ending TBR? Check out our roundup of the most anticipated new book releases for April.

About The Author

Amanda Kay Oaks

Amanda Kay Oaks is a writer, book witch, and video game enthusiast based in Latrobe, PA. She writes about books, games, and more from an office packed with crystals and Pokemon plushies. When not engrossed in work or fictional worlds, Amanda can be found in the kitchen, on her yoga mat, or walking her dog, Azula.

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